As It Rages
by Jaina Solo2
Summary: A hurricane hits D.C. and Ziva feels the need to check on Abby.  ZivaAbby.


**Title: **As It Rages  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Characters:** Ziva David, Abby Sciuto  
**Category:** Drama  
**Genre:** Slash  
**Prompt: **#70 Storm  
**Word Count:** 812  
**Rating: **PG  
**Summary: **A hurricane hits D.C. and Ziva feels the need to check on Abby.  
**Author's Note:** This one isn't beta'd so any errors are my own. As a former Florida girl, I'll just note that Hurricane season in the Northern Atlantic lasts from June until November and my thoughts are with all who are dealing with that now.   
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Rain pelts the windows harshly, until the sound roars in her ears. Through the slits in her curtains Abby can see the rain driving sideways into the glass, propelled by the harsh winds. The hot, muggy days of autumn in D.C. have given way to the hurricane that's come blowing in from the Atlantic, grinding the district to a standstill and locking it into a state of panic.

For Abby it's a chance to have a day off from work. Gibbs call earlier in the day spares her from the need to brave the rain and drive into the office. It's a relief and she doesn't feel even slightly guilty for the unscheduled day off. They've all been working too hard lately.

A flash of light that Abby can see even with her eyes squeezed closed is followed almost instantly by a crash of thunder that rattles the glass in her windows. Abby snuggles a little bit further underneath the comforter and turns slightly into the wall of her coffin. This hurricane is not so bad - only a category 1 - but even so she can still hear her father's lecture about hurricane safety, telling her to have plenty of fresh water and to stay safe in a windowless room.

She's not quite sure why she's ignoring all of his advice.

A loud pounding makes her jump. No lightning has flashed to give her even a brief warning about the noise. The pounding continues, more urgently now.

Abby springs out of bed and tosses aside the comforter. Her bare feet slap against the floor as she rushes through her apartment. For a moment she fumbles with the chains on the door before she manages to get it unlocked and pulls it quickly open.

She steps back as she does and then says in shock, "Ziva?"

The dark haired Mossad agent, now soaked and dripping water into her apartment stands outside. She's probably the last person that Abby would have expected to see.

"What are you doing here?"

Even drenched, Ziva manages to raise an ironic eyebrow at Abby. "Can I come inside?"

"Oh yeah," Abby's still too surprised to completely process the situation. "Yeah, come in." She walks away to get Ziva a towel and when she returns, finds her still dripping where she left her.

"Here," she holds out the towel, large and fluffy, "You can dry off some."

"Thank you," Ziva says softly, blotting the worst of the streaming moisture from her hair before wrapping the towel around her. Abby notices the goosebumps that are raised up sharply on her skin.

There's another explosion of thunder and Abby can't stifle a startled jump. Ziva touches her arm reassuringly.

"When Gibbs gave us the day off from work," Ziva shrugs, "I was bored. I thought I might come by and see you."

Abby laughs. "Hurricanes aren't normally considered visiting weather."

Ziva wraps the towel around herself a little bit tighter. "I've never seen a hurricane before."

"Oh." Sometimes Abby forgets the way Ziva came to join the team, forgets the fact that she hasn't always been there. And every time she remembers, she feels a flash of guilt for forgetting Kate, for not missing Kate more.

Abby shivers and then sets her shoulders. "You should probably wait out the rest of the storm here. It really isn't safe to be out there. You can't kick its ass to make it go away."

Ziva laughs. "Perhaps." She pauses. "So what does one do during a hurricane?"

Now it's Abby's turn to stifle a giggle. "Well, a hurricane party is traditional, but I don't think the two of us qualify as a party."

Ziva gets a knowing grin on her face that's full of mischief. "I'm sure we could manage, but what did you have in mind?"

For the first time, Ziva sees a faint hint of color creep up Abby's neck.

"When I was a little girl," Abby says slowly, "Daddy would board up the windows when a hurricane came, but there was always one that had a little slit, where you could still look out. And I would sit there and just watch it storm for hours." She gestures widely with her hands. "I'd watch the trees flail around, see the wind and the rain." Her hands drop to her sides. "I'd know I wasn't really safe in here. I mean, I could see the damage happening everywhere, but in here I'd still felt safe, you know?"

Ziva cocks her head, hearing more beneath the other woman's words than what's being said.

"No," she replies quietly, "But you could show me."

Abby grins and takes her hand, pulling her to the window.

Ziva looks down at their joined hands and smiles, squeezing the fingers entwined with hers briefly before she turns back to Abby and the storm outside the window.


End file.
